Illness representations of infertility: a cross-sectional study of women with fertility challenges

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to compare women who are not experiencing infertility, women who have experienced infertility in the past, and women who are currently experiencing infertility on illness representations of infertility. Participants were 668 women recruited via social media discussion forums and divided into three groups: not experiencing infertility (n = 299), experienced infertility in the past (n = 229), and currently experiencing infertility (n = 140). Their illness representations (cognitive and emotional) of infertility were measured with the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire. Comparisons between the three groups showed that women who had not experienced infertility perceived fewer symptoms to be associated with infertility than the other two groups did and attributed infertility more to biological and psychological causes. Women who were currently experiencing infertility reported less negative emotions than the other two groups and attributed their infertility more to contraception, the medical profession, and their weight. Finally, women who experienced infertility in the past perceived more consequences of infertility, considered it to be more long-lasting and attributed it more to substances and environmental causes than the two other groups. Results revealed several differences between the illness representations of infertility in women. These findings highlight the need for information campaigns about infertility, with messages that are more closely tailored to the target population.